Liming Of Water Bodies Rivers example essay topic

Water Degradation Based on the article: River Life Through U.S. Broadly Degraded. By William K. Stevens, Jan. 26, 93 Society has been presented with a broad spectrum of cause and effect relationships within the water based ecosystems. Without a conscious effort to rehabilitate our water systems many rivers and lakes are doomed. We have to look after this precious resource. Fortunately many new controls and clean up programs have been introduced.

Rivers are being devastated due to physical and ecological transformation. This decrease in the quality of river and water bodies results from human activities and processes. The ecosystems are changing rapidly. It is necessary to maintain a consistent balance in these ecosystems. Imbalances are occurring with nutrient levels, water temperature, water level, and sedimentation. "The stream then carries more sediment and becomes wider, shallower, and warmer, making the water unfit for many vital organisms".

(Stevens, New York Times, Jan. 26, 1993) The activities affecting the streams are as diverse as the areas in which streams are being affected. Dams are capable of destroying total ecosystems. They affect water levels, and thus affect water temperature. Changes in river temperature can destroy total population of organisms. In addition they affect nutrient levels by cutting them off, not allowing them to flow down stream. Salmon runs often fall prey to the concrete monsters.

Although this is often bypassed with salmon elevators. Development of land often results in the straightening, channeling, and diversion of the rivers and streams. Many rivers and streams have simply dried up most of the year, and some never make it all the way to the ocean. This can be devastating to the wide variety of species, and decimate niches and ecosystems lowering the biological+ h) 0 0 0 ... + diversity. Development is often detrimental to river bank vegetation. This allows water to run off too quickly, thus reduc in the water holding capacity of the land, and adding to sedimentation.

Channeling and diversion can also be found in agriculture and farming practices. In addition chemical fertilizer and animal waste products run off causes an overabundance of nutrients being added to the water disrupting the delicate balances. Plowing and other practices leave soil victim to erosion which adds to the sedimentation of the river. Forestry is also a major cause of stream sedimentation. When the plant material is removed the soil surface it is left very susceptible to erosion. This produces a lot of excess sedimentation over a long period of time.

After an area is cleared the chemical balances are affected as well. "In particular, Rnberg and colleagues proved that alkalinity increased when forest land was converted into agricultural land and acidification occurred when practices were abandoned". (Charles, Nature, April 29, 93) This clearly shows how the lake chemistry is affected by forestry and agriculture. Urban and suburban areas are also to blame. We continuously remove water from our water ways for use, and replace it with wastes. This leads to nitrification and general deterioration of the water.

"Nationwide, there are 2,100 health advisories for fish contaminated by toxic chemicals, according to a 1991 National Academy of Sciences report, Seafood Safety". (Marx, EPA Journal, Sept-Oct, 92) Heated effluent released into river ecosystems are often detrimental. Emissions affect lake and river acidification and therefore the ability to support aquatic organisms. The effects of acid rain take a heavy toll on ecosystems whether they are water based or not. Another problem the river ecosystems are facing are exotic species. Some species are just naturally occurring incidence, others are human introduced.

"They have significantly reduced biological diversity through predation, alteration of habitat, introduction of diseases or parasites and interbreeding with native organisms". (Stevens, New York Times, Jan. 26, 93) This shows the effects of introducing a foreign species to an established habitat. There are a number of factors affecting our rivers and ecosystems. Fortunately some conscious effort is being made to preserve this valuable resource. These include saving the headwaters of major rivers, replanting river banks, and government co operative water regulation at dams. An example of the attempts to help our current water situation is Chesapeake Bay where local governments have agreed to reduce the amount of nutrients being released by 40% before the year two thousand.

Another form of preservation is the liming of water bodies rivers and entire watersheds. Liming is the chemical neutralization of acidic waters. By liming the entire watershed, the treatment can last five to ten years. "Harvey Oem says researchers have estimated that half the U.S. surface waters acidified by air pollutants will eventually recover under the emissions control strategies most likely to emerge from strengthened Clean Air Act regulations. "The other half will remain acidic", he observes. And for them "liming may be an option a tool for restoring their fisheries".

(Raloff, Science News, Feb 24, 1990) A lot of common practices must soon come to a halt. Obviously we are putting a very heavy burden on our waterways. The effects of this are very clear. In order to deal with these problems we must begin at the root of the problem. We must reduce our wastes and find alternate means for disposal. We must cut back on emissions.

Many things are being done, and acts are being passed. The public population is starting to take it upon themselves to care for their river systems. Fortunately rivers are able, for the most part, to rebuild themselves once the inhibiting factors are removed.

Bibliography

Donald Charles, "Acid Rain Not Only To Blame", + +Nature, - - April 29, 93, P. 784 Janet Raloff, "Lime for Your Drink", + +Science News, - - February 24, 90, P. 127 Wesley Marx", Great Waterbodies at a Watershed", + +EPA Journal- -, September October, 92, P. 45-48 William K. Stevens "River Life Through U.S. Broadly Degraded", + + New York Times, - - January 26, 93.